Monthly Archives: November 2009

Recording Artist & Multi-award winning Broadway Star Chester Gregory receives rave reviews in his portrayal of James “Thunder” Early in the revival of Dreamgirls, at the world famous Apollo Theatre. The Hollywood Reporter says, “The true standout, however, is Chester Gregory, who delivers a dynamic performance as the James Brown-like James “Thunder” Early.” Backstage.com adds “Chester Gregory nearly steals the show as Jimmy “Thunder” Early, Gregory takes command of the spotlight, and that’s correct for those moments.” “Effie and her male counterpart in the show, the James Brown-like singer James “Thunder” Early (played with sly, irresistible charm by Chester Gregory, says Bloomberg.com.

On Monday, December 7, 2009, Chester Gregory takes over Harlem’s newest hot spot, Gospel Uptown with a special performance that will give attendees a sneak-peak at his upcoming sophomore album and nationwide tour. The unforgettable evening will include surprise appearances and performances by some of Chester’s friends including the amazing Melba Moore, Chester’s “Dreamgirls” co-stars, Syesha Mercado and Chaz Lamar Shepard and the soulful sounds of Jason Liberatore.

The event will take place on Monday, December 7, 2009, at 8:00pm at Harlem’s Gospel Uptown 2110 Seventh Avenue at 125th Street, New York, NY, – Advance tickets are available for $10.00 on www.Ticketleap.com, keysearch Chester Gregory. Ticket pricing at the door is $15.00 General Admission and $10.00 (Students of any kind, Seniors, Vets and Equity Members). Limited VIP Meet & Greet Tickets are available for $75.00 in advance.

This evening will also celebrate Chester Gregory’s partnership with The Doe Fund Charity Foundation as an on-going celebrity supporter in hopes of continuing to raise awareness for their “Ready, Willing and Able” campaign where proceeds from the evening will support the formerly homeless and formerly incarcerated “Men in blue” of New York’s beloved Ready, Willing & Able program.. “ I am truly honored to be able to represent and be part of such an amazing cause that empowers self-sufficiency for those in need in our community,” shares Chester.

Chester Gregory is anything but what you would expect a Broadway performer to be. When he’s not starring in some of the biggest musicals on the Broadway stage, “Chess” is a songwriter and critically acclaimed recording artist. Regularly playing to sold out audiences, at the world’s most prestigious venues around the world, his energetic live shows display his five-octave vocal range and an R&B style that is truly all his own.

Chester is currently wowing audiences abroad at the world famous Apollo Theatre, in Harlem as “James ‘Thunder’ Early” in the 2009 Revival of “Dreamgirls”. After taking time to write and record his latest album, he’s excited to be back on the stage, but Chester no stranger to the New York Theatre community. He made his Broadway debut as ‘Seaweed‘ in the eight time Tony Award winning Broadway musical, “Hairspray” followed by starring roles in the Broadway productions of ‘Disney’s “Tarzan” as ‘Terk’ and “Cry Baby” as ‘Dupree’.

Prior to this character, Chester played the title role in the three year sold out run of “The Jackie Wilson Story.” Chester’s portrayal of the musical legend garnered him numerous accolades, including a standing ovation from the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson. “To call a performer unique is generally to be clichéd and hyperbolic, not to mention wrong, but Mr. Gregory puts on a show of such physical and vocal dexterity that it’s almost impossible to imagine that anyone else could do it” wrote Bruce Webber in the New York Times. Chester’s stage performances, as well as his song writing, stage presence, and recordings have received rave reviews from industry heavyweights ranging from Phil Collins to the late Isaac Hayes.

In addition to his stage work, Chess is carving his own niche in the R&B/Soul male vocalist category. Influenced by Prince, Donny Hathaway and Jackie Wilson, Chess has worked with Grammy Award winning producers Dave Tozer (John Legend & Kanye West) and PJ Morton (India.Arie). He writes and performs meaningful, heartfelt songs with a positive message and an uncompromising, unsurpassed performance level.

Chester’s debut album, entitled, “In Search of High Love,” earned critical praise by Billboard Magazine as an album of integrity and soul, with innovative contributors Afta-1, Nevi-Nev and J Most. His latest musical endeavor, “Breakbeat Karaoke – The Mixtape” is a prelude to his highly anticipated sophomore album to be relased in the fall of 2009. “Breakbeat Karaoke” is a collection of throwback “breakbeats” from classic hip hop tunes with remixes from songs from “In Search of High Love”, in addition to new compositions specifically created for this mixtape. It features guest appearances and cameos from Farrah Burns, Phase One and ‘Dot Da Genius’ who produced “Day N Night” by Kid Cudi among others. “I wanted to pay tribute to some of best in hip hop like J. Dilla, De La Soul, Common, Jay-Z and DJ Premier to name a few…” says Chester. Created for his fans, the project is available as a free download at www.ChesterGregory.com

ABOUT The Doe Fund:

The Doe Fund’s mission is to develop and implement cost-effective, holistic programs that meet the needs of a diverse population working to break the cycles of homelessness, addiction, and criminal recidivism. All of The Doe Fund’s programs and innovative business ventures ultimately strive to help homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals achieve permanent self-sufficiency. For more information, please visit www.doe.org or call 212.690.6480.

Once in a long while, a band comes along that is so brilliantly rebellious that it defies description. Brooklyn rockers Game Rebellion know that the mainstream may frown upon their decision to create outside the box, but in the end, the fans motivate the band to fight the power. With their new single “Blind” hitting iTunes on December 1, 2009, and their original EP Sounds Like a Riot debuting on January 18, 2010, Game Rebellion is ready to blow minds and expand universes. Band members Yohimbe (guitar, vocals), Ahmed (bass), Emi (keys, vocals), Aaron (percussion) and Netic (lead vocals) are masters of mashing up influences of rock, punk, hip hop, metal and other genres. Their ability to flow between powerful poetry, fiery rap, crazy instrumental solos and frenetic singing over the music engages the crowd, guaranteeing synergy with the audience at every live show. “Every few decades there comes a group or sound that redefines genres or shifts the musical paradigm,” Ahmed explains. “I humbly offer Game Rebellion as the next artist that will re-invigorate what seems to be a stasis in musical innovation in the industry. Honestly, if it wasn’t for all of our supporters being so consistent, I couldn’t make such a statement. Personally, it is the fans and their overwhelming response that have kept me motivated throughout the years.” The band’s growing number of fans, known affectionately as “rebels,” have become notorious for their dedication to Game Rebellion.

“It’s almost as if their energy is the play/stop button,” Yohimbe says. “When the crowd is going nuts, we play even harder. The audience has their own relationship with our songs. Their moshing, stage diving and surfing is as much part of the show as my guitar solo. The wildest thing is that after the show, the rebels congratulate each other as if they performed! Honestly, they are just as sweaty and worn out as us… but let us start the next song and we all wake the f*ck up!” In 2007, Game Rebellion released their first official mixtape, Searching for Rick Rubin with Brooklyn’s DJ J.Period. The project was received with open arms by otherwise cynical music critics, who lavished praise on the Game Rebellion movement. The December 1, 2009 release of their politically-driven single “Blind” shows the band’s further growth in connecting with fans. Game Rebellion drives home their fervently powerful messages with educated passion and cohesive artistry. Sounds Like a Riot is their first original project together, and will offer the world some new perspective when the EP hits shelves on January 18, 2010. “Game Rebellion came together out of a need to create an environment where we can all be the best at our selected positions,” says Emi. “We all have similar values and musical tastes. The reason why this band works is because we all believe in each other. We hold each other down, and we are all accountable for making this movement work. In Game Rebellion, it is a band of brothers against all odds. We will do it together, or not at all.”
For more information on Game Rebellion, go to www.tygereye.net/gamerebellion, www.gamerebellion.com and www.myspace.com/gamerebellion For interviews and press information, contact dove@tygereye.net

ABOUT GAME REBELLION

What can you say about an all-Black all-outta-Brooklyn band whose metal, punk and rudeboy skanking licks sound as credible and crunchy as their Hip Hop lyrics and headnodding bounce? Game Rebellion makes the difficult sound effortless and the miraculous seem second nature: A hard rockin band with a B-boy MC who can actually spit? No problem! An upcoming EP created by a band that actually rocks and flows? No problem!

With a strong fanbase behind the movement, Game Rebellion is firing up the next phase of their career with the new single “Blind” and accompanying video in December 2009, a series of shows across the country, and their EP Sounds Like a Riot on January 18, 2010.

Game Rebellion is a band of amazing musicians dedicated to defying the rules and creating their own way. The guitar solos of Yohimbe will leave you stunned at his free-flowing artistry and technical skill. The lyrical prowess and production of Netic provide an unobstructed view of the angst of young rebels everywhere.

The musicianship and vocals of Emi display the conviction and the passion of a misunderstood generation. The thick and layered sound of Ahmed on the bass will remind everyone that Game Rebellion is not here to play nice. The amazing versatility and hard hitting percussion of Aaron provide the perfect tempo for the Game Rebellion mantra:

We Play By Our Own Rules: Welcome to the Rebellion!

Game Rebellion has been making big waves on the New York scene since 2006. The men found common ground after a gig they played together at Irving Plaza, and the musicians-for-hire soon became a band on fire! Since then, they’ve ventured across the country and overseas to further to slam heads, rock houses and muddy the lilywhite waters of Hip Hop and Rock from NYC and Cali to Puerto Rico and the UK.

The range of their individual influences in music is so vast – like Prince,The Cure, Jimi Hendrix, The Isley Brothers, Bad Brains, Johnny Cash, Megadeth and Guns & Roses to name a few – that it’s near impossible to put a label on the Game Rebellion vibe. Sumptuous… urgent… cacophonous… anthemic – the sheer monstrosity of sound pumping through the speakers is enough to keep your mind open. “Its shock therapy,” Ahmed asserts. “It will change your standards of pop music.”

Game Rebellion’s stage show is driven by frenetic synergy between the multi-talented quintet and their fans. “The feeling we get from performing live is the energy transfer from us to the audience and back,” explains Emi. “Each show raises the level of the transfer, because we have people who know the music and who rally behind what we bring to the stage. The resulting effect is better than any high.”

Netic delves a little further into their amazing connection with fans: ”Game Rebellion is the Alpha Team you send in when you want to get hostages or kidnapped children back. We move in quietly with the mosh pit squad, then boom! We throw C4, Semtex, Flash and Frag Grenades! Big explosions while we walk in slow motion… and when the smoke clears we always save the villagers. We leave as quietly as we came. We don’t have fans, we have recruits!”

As they gear up for the release of their EP in January, the bandmates are all buzzing with excitement. “I’ve been very anxious about the release of this new record,” Ahmed professes. “This will be our first project with all original songs.”

“I pulled in my friend Circuit to assist on some of the synth and programming work,” Netic explains. “I love the production process of making records more than anything else, so I take it very serious. The people I work with on the Game Rebellion projects become very close friends due to the intensity and personal passion that goes into our music. ‘2012’ is by far my personal favorite on Sounds Like a Riot – it’s the song that speaks the most to the absurdity of our reality: There’s a whole in the sky / The city’s on fire / You ain’t fly ni**a / We’re all gonna die.”

The Game Rebellion movement is far more intense than what meets the eye, as passion, ingenuity, electricity and spirituality collide, merging genres and subculture-induced soundscapes for the next generation. Their commitment to the music is only superseded by their commitment to each other.

“Game Rebellion came together out of a need to create an environment where we can all be the best at our selected positions,” says Emi. “We all have similar values and musical tastes. The reason why this band works is because we all believe in each other. We hold each other down, and we are all accountable for making this movement work. In Game Rebellion, it is a band of brothers against all odds. We will do it together, or not at all.”

First iPhone Game With A Live DJ Experience Features Touch Screen Scratching

(November 24, 2009 – Brooklyn, NY) Ever wanted to step into the DJ booth and get the party started right? Then “Bust a Move,” do the “Wild Thing” and pour the “Funky Cold Medina,” as Delicious Vinyl DJ puts you in control of the dance floor. Delicious Vinyl and Ten23 Software are proud to announce Delicious Vinyl DJ, a new music rhythm game exclusively available for the iPhone and iTouch this Fall (downloadable from the iTunes App Store).

Delicious Vinyl DJ puts anyone with an iPhone inside the DJ booth and behind the decks cutting and scratching across the greatest golden era hip-hop tracks ever! Don’t just play along with the song, bust a move out of the living room and work that cut! Get the party started anywhere! Match multi-colored notes as they flow down the screen; trigger scratches on two turntables with a thumb twist or tap a button on the mixer in time with the music to score points. Just like a real DJ, increased accuracy determines how fresh and tight the mix will sound and gets you more points! Delicious Vinyl DJ delivers the party to wherever you are – no peripherals or add-ons necessary!Continue reading →

We chat with comedian Chris Spencer as he discusses his upcoming projects, plus about being a writer in Hollywood. Not too many folks know that he is the driving force for a lot of comedies that are aired and even Award Shows. Anyway we chat with him about everything that is on his plate and he drops some news on us about something that he has in the works! Check out the interview!

There are many ways to keep a legacy alive, or to keep one’s name relevant in the entertainment industry after an unfortunate and untimely passing. As for Chad Butler aka ‘Pimp C’, his wife Chinara Butler is putting forth her efforts to do just that, Friday, December 4th, 2009.

UGQ, Inc., founded by Chinara Butler and her late husband, has united with CCM Foundation and S.E.A.C (Syphillis Elimation Advisory Committee), to bring you the Inaugural Chad ‘Pimp C’ Butler Hip Hop & Health/Wellness Fair in their hometown of Port Arthur, Texas, which will be held on Friday, December 4th, at 6pm-10pm at the Port Arthur Pavilion. This event will be held every year on December 4th, the unfortunate day we lost a musical Legend, who had many dreams in store for his community…so we start here. Continue reading →